


The Inner Sanctum of Geniusness

by Era_Penn



Series: Togetherness Issues (And Other Superhero Problems) [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluffy, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sleepy Tony, Team Bonding, Team Building, Team as Family, Tony Feels, Trust, Trust Issues, angsty, friendship fic, workshop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-01-09 03:33:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1140925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Era_Penn/pseuds/Era_Penn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one was allowed into Tony's Workshop. Well, except Jarvis and Pepper, but no one really counted them when it came to Tony letting people do things. Rhodey and Happy could get in sometimes too, but that was it.</p><p>Until now, that is.</p><p>Can be read as a stand-alone.</p><p>Now with translation!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Святая святых гениальности](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10936641) by [marysja89](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marysja89/pseuds/marysja89)



> The first couple of chapters of this were previously posted and orphaned by me because of reasons, so if it's familiar, that may be why.
> 
> [Русский translation.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10936641/chapters/24332100)

No one was allowed into Tony's Workshop. Well, except Jarvis and Pepper, but no one really counted them when it came to Tony letting people do things. Rhodey and Happy could get in sometimes too, but that was it.

Bruce let them in his lab, for all he made it obvious when he didn't want them there. He was more relaxed in the space Tony had given him, at peace with himself.

Clint let them into the archery range, except when he was at his worst and using the space to cool off. Tony stocked it with the best archery toys money couldn't buy, one of the only people he would design weapons for still.

Natasha let them into her ballet studio, which had been fitted with fingerprint-locked sliding mirrors hiding dozens of dozens of weapons from Tony. She always watched them, carefully, and rarely danced for them, but Bruce joined her in meditating and the others talked with her a little.

Steve let them into his art studio. He hid some of his drawings and rarely accepted praise, but he still let them in, even asking them to help with some of the more advanced art technology Tony had made sure to stock alongside the traditional art supplies and art history books in the room.

Thor was so open he may as well have been shouting an invitation into his space to the world. Tony brought Jane to stay, and she set a bit of a boundary line where their bedroom was concerned, but not a hard line, more like one in the sand; easy to step over, just there as a reminder that sometimes they needed privacy.

Coulson let them into his office, which was almost like a sacred privilege by the way the junior agents phrased it. Tony eventually bought the man a comfortable couch because the Avengers were in and out so often.

But no one was allowed into Tony's Workshop. Oh he had others, labs and shops where he'd take a tricky design or a fun one to work with Bruce on, ones they could talk to him in, but it was extremely clear from the very beginning that no one, _no one_ , except Tony, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, and Jarvis were allowed in his inner sanctum, and occasionally not even them. He'd hide away there for days and emerge with a new com unit, three possible fabrics for body armor for Natasha and Steve to test, and a new arrow design for Clint before collapsing in his stark bedroom. After a bad fight, he went to The Workshop, rather than to his room or the common area with the others.

Steve had mentioned it once in curiousity, wondering if it was a trust issue and offering to try and fix it. Tony had smirked a little, but his eyes were wary and hard, unwilling to negotiate.  
"Nah, Cap, trust is a pretty fluid concept for me," he had replied, "I just like my space."  
All of them got the gist of not wanting to pry and left it alone after that, and for over a year Tony spent more time in the workshop than out of it.


	2. Phil's Got a Headache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amazingly, it was Clint who got the first glimpse of the billionaire's reclusive little world.

"Cap, on your six!" He hollered. Steve turned fast enough to catch the beam on his shield, and Clint took out the one he'd been fighting, arrow whipping past Steve's ear.

"Are we seriously fighting -"

"Mutant lobsters with lasers for eyes?" Natasha summed up.

"Exactly," Tony continued. "I am elated to know this isn't all a hallucination caused by heavy drugs of some kind."

"I vote we call them Lazerobsters." Clint decided, ignoring the sarcasm.

"Lazerobsters? Yeah, very punny Hawky."

"I pride myself in - oh SHIT-" he saw Tony turn in the air faster than he could have said quidditch as one of the Lazerobsters took out the mildly unstable corner he was standing. Well, it was mildly unstable _now_ , it wasn't a minute ago. He also saw one of the monsters take notice of Tony's distraction. Giving up precious seconds of time before his footing gave out, he fired straight past the iron man into the beast's maw before he was falling.

He closed his eyes and braced himself. The impact didn't hurt, maim, or kill him as badly as he thought it would.

" _Jesus_ Barton, give a guy some warning!" Tony voice was light, but there was a faint undercurrent to it that Clint didn't understand. "Five more seconds and you would have gone splat. You do realize they haven't gotten through the suit yet, right? And you are aware that you aren't an actual bird?"

"Aw, you do care." Clint grinned, despite the bruises he could already feel forming, as Tony deposited him on a ledge. "Chirp, chirp."

"As if." Tony snorted.

Clint received a new grappling hook later.

* * *

**A Few Weeks Later**

" _Agent Barton, Master Stark would like to see you in The Workshop._ "

Clint looked up at the ceiling in surprise. "Sure, J, which one?" He asked as Natasha climbed out of the sparring ring with him. He wasn't expecting the answer.

" _ **His** workshop._ " Jarvis sounded amused. " _I believe you have taken to calling it the Inner Sanctum of Geniusness. If you'll enter the private elevator, I will take you to the proper floor._ "

He and Natasha shared a stunned silence for a moment. "Did I imagine that?"

The Widow shook her head. "No."

"I'll be right down, J," Cint replied. "Just let me wash up first."

" _It would be best if you went straight down, Sir._ " Another amazed silence. The only one Jarvis called sir was... Well... Tony. " _It is in Master Stark's best interest that someone distract him before he starts playing with semi-explosive objects while sleep deprived, and you are nearest on the list of approved persons._ "

"Sure." Clint jumped into the elevator, which quickly descended. He was still in shock, a little bit, and overwhelmed was an understatement. He was the first one of the team allowed into The Workshop after over a year of fighting, working, and living together. If he'd ever thought any of them would be allowed in, he would've guessed Bruce.

* * *

Tony glanced up when the elevator doors opened. "Clint, just the man I wanted to see!"

Clint looked around. Countertops were covered in machine parts and technological marvels whose purpose he cold only guess at. His attention was quickly drawn back to the genius himself, scolding a robot with one arm for getting in the way and looking like he should have keeled over a week ago.

"Tony, how long has it been since you slept?" He asked.

"I dunno. Come here, look, I made you a this, come on, we need to test it in a 'safe environment' so Agent doesn't kill me -"

Clint decided to just go with it; he could recognize nervous rambling from Tony when he heard it now. Allowing the genius to attatched thin rings to both of his ankles, Clint raised an eyebrow when Tony handed him a thin disk.

"Throw it down."

Cint obeyed and was shocked to see the disk spread itself into a smooth skateboard like object hovering a few inches off the ground. The grin that spread across his face was nothing short of maniacal.

"Oh, Phil is going to _murder_ us."

Tony smirked as Cint climbed on board.

* * *

Phil nearly did murder them when he arrived in the medical center of the tower two hours later to find the two laughing while a nurse patched up various small cuts and bruises.

"Relax, we were testing the hoverboard in a controlled environment." Tony rolled his eyes at the furious agent.

Phil felt a headache set in. "Why, exactly, did you build the hoverboard in the first place?"

"Why not?" The two chorused.

Phil's life was about to get a lot more difficult. He would need to stock up on aspirin with these two lunatics loose in Tony Stark's workshop with little to no supervision, but he couldn't bring himself to regret the display of Stark's trust.

Yet.


	3. Handling a Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha was rarely surprised.  
> But she had never expected this.

It was a bad battle. Natasha had done the preliminary work, for the most part, not really being involved in the actual fighting too much. It was a little tricky when the opponents were robots and armored with some sort of alloy that was impossible to penetrate with normal weapons. Still, she helped where she could. Took a couple in the eye. Snagged the man with the remote. Nearly died. All in a day’s work. 

Oh, and apparently, sneaking out new tech for Tony to play with got her onto his ‘semi-trusted people’ list, because he stopped freaking out whenever she entered a room and actually sat next to her at a movie night. She was pleased; she like the billionaire, and she trusted him with her back. 

But she definitely wasn’t expecting this.

“ _Agent Romanov?_ ”

“I’ll be down in a moment.” she replied, stretching tired muscles. 

“ _Speed is requested. Master Stark is having difficulties with replacing the reactor, and -_ ”

She stood and began a swift descent towards the shop. “What happened? Why didn’t he say anything?”

“ _Master Stark is very careful with the Reactor, and he does not ask this lightly._ ” Jarvis huffed (and wasn't that just amazing). “ _It is a miracle he will ask at all._ ”

“What happened?” Natasha asked again as the doors slid open.

“Took a bad hit.” Tony replied, breathy. “Can it wait until _after_ we prevent cardiac arrest?”

“What do I need to do?”

“How big are your hands?”

She held them up.

“Okay… okay.” he seemed to be fortifying himself. “Pepper’s out of town, no one else is likely to have hands small enough, but if you screw me over here -”

“What do I do?”

Tony turned away, and she heard a click. And when he turned around, she was staring at a hole in his chest.

“Exposed wire is causing a minor electrical short, happened just before we caught the guy.” He said. “I need you to pull it out just enough to cover it without actually pulling it out of my chest.” Sweat beaded his brow, and Natasha, without hesitating, reached in. The faster they did this, the better.

“Which wire?”

“Third - third from the bottom.”

Gently she pulled on it, extremely aware of the fact that she was basically holding her teammate’s heart in her hands as she carefully wrapped electrical tape around the exposed part of the wire. Tony’s breathing was harsh and uncomfortable, and if she had to guess she’d say it was a mixture of having the arc out and approaching a panic attack. She moved the wire back into place and Tony turned away again, settling the arc into place with a click and a gasp.

“I didn’t realized it was so large.” She said, eventually, to break the tense silence, ignoring the odd goo on her fingers.

“Sink’s over there.” He gestured. “It’s just plasma discharge, comes from the device, not my body.”

Natasha cleaned up and turned to go.

“Thanks.”

She stilled.

“You’re welcome.”

And she vanished up the steps, faintly hearing Tony tell Jarvis to give her limited workshop access. Something warm filled her chest. It was odd, but nice, she decided, having a team who trusted her and could be trusted in turn.

And no one would ever steal Tony’s heart from his chest again without getting over her dead body first.

The thing about the Black Widow?

She was hard to kill.

At least this would calm Phil down about Clint and Tony getting up to shenanigans.


	4. Fascinating Futures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve couldn't decide if he like the future or not, but this was amazing.

When Steve was allowed into the workshop, it wasn't because Tony decided to trust him or out of absolute necessity. It was because Tony had been injured in battle (again) and needed someone to help with the heavy lifting. He _could_ have done it in the suit, but Pepper had threatened him with board meetings and galas if he cut the cast off of his arm using any implement, technology, or device he could think of, buy, steal, borrow, or build. And apparently Tony was somewhat leery of letting the god of thunder into a room full of high-tech electronics.

Bruce could have done it, but Steve wasn't going anywhere near that. None of them were sure why Tony hadn't invited the man down to his shop yet, and Bruce seemed equally confused, though not necessarily upset about it. The man bounced around in Bruce’s lab enough, and played in the random work-labs scattered around the building.

Steve stopped dead when he reached the hall outside the workshop, gaping. For once, the glass wasn't blacked out, and the sight before his eyes was _beautiful_ and amazing and everything he'd always thought the future would be.

Blue holograms drifted through the air, 3D renderings of the Avengers’ equipment, the suit, and dozens of files. Tony glowed blue at the center, tapping a foot against the stool he was sitting on impatiently, but still more relaxed than Steve had ever seen. Entering, he grinned a little when he was enveloped in music and light and sound and the conversation Jarvis was having with the genius.

“Stefve!” Tony said, quite loudly. “Tell Jarv’s I don’ need t’ sleep yet.”

“I think I might agree with him, actually.” Steve said. Tony shook his head vehemently.

“Nooo,” he replied. “I need to finish fixing the armor first -”

And although he didn't like it, and wanted to protest that Tony could sleep and then finish the armor, he understood that so much it almost hurt. He understood the necessity of having your weapon ready at all times, just in case. “Fine,” he replied with a sigh. “What do you need me to do?”

He didn't understand half of what came out of Tony’s mouth but that was okay, because watching Tony work, face lit with glee and fingers flying through complex wiring no one else on earth could understand…

He wasn't sure if he liked the future or not, but this was _amazing_. He wondered if Tony would build him a flying car.

Probably. Clint had a hoverboard, after all, and it would upset Coulson and Pepper. Sometimes Steve thought Tony might live purely to upset Coulson and Pepper.


	5. Shieldbrothers and Sushi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor never expected to be let into the workshop, what with Tony’s constant complaining about his seemingly natural talent for the destruction of his ‘babies’.

Thor practically tip-toed down the hallway past Stark’s workshop. It wasn't often that he come this way, but sometimes he couldn't resist trying to get a peek at Tony’s lair. He was unfortunately awful at controlling his emotions sometimes, and mood fluctuations around him led to electrical shortages and blown fuses. It drove Tony insane, and his lab was so full of delicate electrical equipment that Thor never expected to be allowed in. He could, however, catch glimpses through the glass on some days.

“Thor! Perfect timing, come in big guy.”

He froze. Blinked. Blinked again. “But I thought that you preferred me to stay away from your inner sanctum, friend.”

“Well, usually, yes, that will still hold true, but I’m doing an experiment - I’m trying to make my armor lightning proof so it doesn't fry the circuitry and in fact might even provide a recharge if you hit me. The possibilities are endless, and it could actually potentially save my life. Anyway, I need you to hit that armor with as much lightning as you can muster. Oh, wait - Jarvis, lock everything else down. Especially your hard drives and the bots. So, anyway, the point is...”

Thor grinned. It might be because of an experiment, but he actually got to go into the workshop! He stepped over the threshold with great reverence.

“-and if I can improve the technology enough, I might be able to save the coffee makers too, which is a big thing. Have you seen Natasha without coffee? It’s even more terrifying, and that’s something.”

“How may I be of assistance?” Often when invested in a project that interested him Stark rambled until he was interrupted, unable to contain his own excitement.

“Oh, right, one sec.” Stark moved behind a large structure that Thor presumed was to keep him from being electrocuted. “Kay, just hit the armor with everything you've got, but start small and up the power so I can see how well I’m doing.”

Thor obeyed, starting small and slowly gaining power. The billionaire was talking at fast speeds, presumably keeping track of the results of his experiment. Thor thought, bemusedly, that he didn't really understand half of what came out of his shieldbrother's mouth - but he doubted any but perhaps Dr. Banner did, when it came to science, and the lady Pepper, when it came to anything else. He watched the armor slowly melt and buckle.

“Okay, stop!” Stark called. Thor immediately did so. “Awesome, we got some fabulous readings, didn't we J?”

“Indeed, mister Stark.” Jarvis replied. “The armor held up quite well until about seventy-three seconds.”

“Good, so about what we projected… Hey, Thor, how powerful of a blast would you use, in an average battle?”

“I am not sure how to explain. Strong, but not as powerful as I finished with here. In instances of battles like that with the Chitauri, I can use much more, particularly channeled through metal.”

“Jarvis, make a note - forge. Okay, let’s see…”

Thor was retained for a further two hours, assisting the Iron Man with his endeavors to improve upon his already great shield. Despite what many may think, Thor had no doubt that the armor was just that; a shield. Rarely did Tony begin a fight, though he always finished those he was dragged into.

“Thanks, big guy,” Tony said as he flicked fingers through the air, drawing up hundreds of data points sparkling like great blue stars. Spiraling blue swept through the air and answered to every twitch of its creators fingers. This was what Thor had wished to see, and he very carefully kept his electricity to himself. Truly, this man was a genius.

“I am honored to be of assistance,” he replied, quite seriously. He did not often get to work with brilliance of such caliber; even on Asgard, such minds were rare, and highly valued.

Tony blinked at him, and grinned. “Want to go out for sushi?”

“What is sushi?” Thor asked in reply.

“Oh yeah, sushi, you’re gonna love it. Well, probably, though all the best stuff is on the west coast…. wait wait wait, we can both fly! Up for a trip?”

Thor beamed. “Indeed.”

Sushi was excellent, and Tony had a lovely home in Malibu.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce didn’t mind Tony’s seeming unwillingness to let him into the workshop, just what it revealed about Tony’s opinion of himself.

Bruce knew it wasn’t the Hulk that had Tony keeping him out of the workshop. At least, not directly. Tony very obviously didn’t consider the Hulk all that much of a threat, and clearly trusted Bruce to keep control of himself when it mattered, and didn’t give a damn the rest of the time. That begged the question, though, of why Tony didn’t let him in. It wasn’t for the sake of his tech, like Thor; Bruce understood it all as well as Tony did. It wasn’t out of a lack of trust, like Clint or Steve. Plausibly he was worried Bruce would understand too much, like Natasha, and didn’t trust him with that - but frankly, Bruce doubted it, considering how much Tony shared his new tech and inventions with him.

No, Bruce didn’t think Tony was being careful of himself. He was actually fairly sure Tony was being careful with Bruce, in a way he doubted the others ever would have thought of. Bruce had really, really bad experiences with other people’s labs and workshops, since becoming Hulk. He had no doubt if he wanted he could easily get into Tony’s workshop; he doubted Tony would ever actively invite him, solely because he wanted to make sure Bruce was comfortable with it. He wondered, sometimes, if the billionaire felt similarly about others’ labs, after he was tortured in one not his own in Afghanistan. Not that Tony said as much, but they all saw the signs.

None of the others realized it, and though Bruce was glad Tony did, he was getting a bit annoyed, because clearly Tony trusted him, but apparently he didn’t realize the feeling was mutual.

Then attackers made it into the tower for what was clearly meant to be an extraction of the billionaire.

“Anyone on Stark?” Steve demanded over the comms.

“I’m on it.” Bruce said, not wasting any breath. “I’m closest.”

“Well, hurry the hell up, Bruce, I’m a bit pinned down here!”

“Status?”

“They’re _in my workshop_ , it doesn’t get much worse!” Tony snarled back over the sound of gunfire.

Bruce picked up the pace, rounding the corner with glowing green eyes.

* * *

He woke up with a groan, cuddling with Tony Stark on the floor of his lab. 

“Not that I’m complaining, but do you maybe want some clothes? No, you didn’t hurt anyone, you took a bullet for Dummy, of all people -”

Bruce nodded, Tony filling the silence by rambling his actions at him until he got whacked in the head with a shirt.

“So… when did you realize you had full access?”

“When you let Clint in. No way was he getting access first.” Bruce replied.

“Um… why not come… uh… visit?” Tony asked, clearly regretting the question as it came out.

“I was waiting for you to ask.” Bruce replied, simply.

“But… why?”

“Because I trust you, idiot.” He headed out of the room, ignoring the gaping billionaire. “Now what does a guy have to do to get a burger around here?”

Because Tony didn’t trust himself, and he needed to know that Bruce did. Even with this. Because as much as Tony didn’t want anyone to realize it, he was one of the best men the other genius had ever known. And he knew Captain America.

The next morning, Tony hesitantly invited him down to play with a new idea. Bruce accepted with no hesitation at all.


	7. Chapter 7

“Jarvis, let me in.” Coulson demanded.

“Master Stark does not wish to be disturbed.”

“He’s been in there for almost a week, and I’m relatively certain he was injured when he locked himself away in the first place. Don’t tell me he doesn’t wish to be disturbed; I’d gathered as much. Unfortunately for Stark, I am not in the habit of leaving assets in my care alone when injured.”

“Proper overrides are required.” Jarvis sounded genuinely apologetic.

Coulson gritted his teeth and thought about what Stark might set up as a proper override. “America is a Capsicle.” He finally grunted.

“No, Agent Coulson.” Jarvis sounded amused.

No. He wouldn’t. Except he WOULD.

“Secret Agent man.” He finally sang through clenched teeth.

“Welcome back, Agent Coulson.”

Welcome back? Oh right, Malibu. Wait, did that mean he could have been in here providing adult supervision to Barton and Stark’s antics this entire time? First things first; no time to admire the shop now.

Looking over the seemingly empty lab, Coulson positively glowered. “Anthony Edward Stark, if you don’t show your face in the next two seconds, I’m putting you through SHIELD’s standard torture resistance seminar - without Barton.”

Tony peeked up at him from the trunk of one of his cars. “‘s playin’ dirty,” he slurred. Worrying. It took a distinct amount of alcohol to make Stark slur, and there was a distinct lack of it in the shop.

“You are going to shower, eat, and sleep. You are also going to let Bruce check you for injuries.”

A long pause. “Don’ wanna.” Tony sulked, still peering through the smallest crack possible. “Comfier in here.”

Coulson stalked over to stand directly in front of him, wrenching the trunk open. He blinked, feeling anger born from worry leave his frame. The surprisingly spacious area was full of blankets, pillows, and desperation. “How long has it been since you slept?” he asked, gently.

“Sir has not slept in seventy-three hours, forty-two minutes, at which time he woke from four hours of nightmares.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping, Tony?”

“Can’t.” Tony replied hoarsely. “Not even in the ‘shop.” Ah, so that was why he had retreated. He’d hoped he could sleep in the shop, in his safe place.

“Shower.” Coulson levered him out of the trunk, making a mental note to come back and clean it up later and leading Tony to the elevator. Jarvis started them up to Tony’s room without prompting. Once Tony was safely tucked into his shower, water warm and music playing lightly, Coulson had Jarvis put him through to the rest of the team.

“Emergency movie night. Pajamas, blankets and pillows mandatory.” He said simply.

“...Huh?” Clint voiced.

“Tony hasn’t slept in over seventy hours, and not for lack of trying.” Coulson replied. “He retreated to the shop trying to feel safe. I want everyone and some couches down there ASAP.”

“Yes, sir.” Steve replied.

“Good.” Coulson hung up on him and pulled clean sweats and an old band tee out of a drawer Jarvis directed him to before demanding Tony get out of the shower and dry off. Once he had a properly clothed billionaire half-standing, half leaning on him, he grabbed several fresh blankets and pillows from the bed and pulled Tony along right back to the shop, where as ordered the other Avengers had gathered. They had made a few small adjustments; rather than a few couches, they had laid several mattresses out on the floor and puppy piled.

Coulson plopped the genius down right in the center, of the shop and the group. “Stay.” he said.

Tony nodded, still confused, as _Herbie Goes Bananas_ started playing on the ceiling. Coulson pulled the pillows and blankets out of the trunk of the car as Steve pressed a hot chocolate into the bewildered billionaire’s fingers and Natasha tucked him in with her favorite fleece blanket before curling up practically on top of him, Clint doing the same on his other side.

“...Huh?” Tony asked.

“Sleep, genius.” Clint grumbled, eyes on the screen.

“Bu’... doesn’ make any sense.” Tony said, leaning into Steve’s fingers carding through his hair.

“What doesn’t make sense, Tony?” Natasha asked gently.

“Why’re you _here_? ‘N why’d’you keep huggin’ me and…. and… stuff!”

They all, Coulson included as he returned to join them, blinked. This was apparently a much deeper issue than it had first appeared. Or two issues blending into one through exhaustion.

“We’re a team.” Bruce replied. “Of course we’re here.”

Tony stared at him over his shoulder (he was practically in the other man’s lap, Coulson noted with amusement), before settling farther into the arms of the Avenger pile. “Doesn't make sense.” Tony grumbled. It was quiet for a time, everyone trying to figure out exactly what was bothering Tony.

The billionaire’s blinking started to get slower and slower.

“‘s gonna suck when this ends.” he sighed as they drifted shut one last time.

It was an issue for another day, and Coulson shook his head as all of the Avenger’s simultaneously opened their mouths to protest. Tony had finally fallen asleep, surrounded by his team and his technology. He settled onto the couch facing the door to keep watch, and asked Jarvis to order a late brunch of whatever Tony liked.

Phil was counting this one a win; everything else could wait.


End file.
